


I'd Go to the End of a Universe (and Maybe the Next One)

by HolleringHawk65



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: F/M, I didn't think it was necessary to use the warning for, Implied Sexual Content, Implied underage I guess?, M/M, There's no real canon used here?, universe hopping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-16
Updated: 2015-08-16
Packaged: 2018-04-14 23:33:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4584438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HolleringHawk65/pseuds/HolleringHawk65
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carrie has come to this universe with one goal in mind--get Bruce and Jason together again. <br/>It just so happens that Jason's birthday is coming up--cue the party lights!</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'd Go to the End of a Universe (and Maybe the Next One)

**Author's Note:**

> So there's no real universe I'm using here? It's pretty close to the main world but Carrie Kelley wasn't Damian's acting instructor so.  
> By the way I haven't actually read The Dark Knight Returns so I'm sorry if Carrie's characterization is awful. I apologize if /any/ (or all) of the characterization is awful!
> 
> Also it actually is Jason's birthday (or, at least August 16th is. This might be a few minutes early), so yay!!

“Jason!”

He and Roy stopped walking at the call of his name. He turned around, looking for whoever had said it-

A red haired blur tackled him into the streets.

_What the hell?_

The pressure of a small body moved off of him and he felt Roy help him up.

“Hi, I’m really sorry, but I got really excited because this is like, the fifth world I came to and I’m just really happy because you’re _alive._ ” The voice came from a redhead, probably a little smaller than Damian, maybe the same age. “I’m Carrie Kelley,” she stuck out her hand, smiling. Jason just looked at her, still trying to process what was going on. “Uh, who you’ve never heard of, obviously. I’m Rob-”

Roy clasped a hand over her mouth. “Okay! Time to get into the apartment, don’t you think, Jason?”

“Yeah. Yeah that does sound like a really good idea.”

* * *

 

Jason sat down in a chair while Carrie sat on the couch, looking completely unfazed still, as if she’d done this kind of thing before. As he ran over what the girl had said already, she probably had.

“Alright, munchkin,” Roy started as he stood in front of them. “Start talking.”

She shot a look at him before sighing. “Okay, so I come from a world where Jason died and _never_ came back to life. It took a really, really heavy toll on Bruce, which it has in every world I’ve seen so far. It looks like this is the only world where you’re alive at this age, honestly.” She scratched the back of her neck. “That doesn’t really matter though, um. You see, Bruce is like my dad. I guess that’s how he is with most of the Robins? Except for you.”

Roy looked over at Jason and saw that he was blushing. It wasn’t an ‘aww, that’s cute blush’--it was more like ‘kill me now.’ “Look, Carrie, we don’t really talk-”

“Bruce totally still loves you! He always does. Give him a chance, please?”

Jason sighed before running a hand through his hair. “Carrie, in this world, Bruce and I don’t exactly see eye to eye. I get that you just want to help him, but he’s doing just fine with the rest of the family.”

“Ugh, you’re just as stubborn as he said you were. But, _would_ you give him a chance if he was willing to give you one?”

Jason shrugged. “Sure.” _Like that would ever happen._

* * *

 

“Are you sure that you don’t want to stay the night?” Roy asked. Jason had disappeared to who knows where, so it was just him and Carrie.

“I’m sure.” She fiddled with her messenger bag for a moment. “Do you think that they’re completely hopeless?”

He laughed. “If by that, you mean hopelessly in love, yeah. Jason would drop everything for Bruce to go help him. You just have to get them alone long enough for them to confess to each other. And intoxicated enough.” He smiled at her. “You know, Jason’s birthday is coming up soon, and I’m sure Alfred would love to throw him a party.”

She perked up. “Really? I have to get to Gotham then!” She hugged him. “Thanks a lot, Roy.”

“I just want to see Jason happy, and if you think this is the way, who am I to stop you?”

* * *

 

“Father, I think we have some company,” Damian said. They were both already out of costume and in their individual versions of pajamas. Bruce was sitting in front of the Bat Computer, typing up one last report for the night.

He turned his chair around, looking into the darkness of the cave. “You can come out, we won’t hurt you.” Damian started to open his mouth, but he was silenced with a look.

Neither was expecting a young redhead to show up. “Hi! I’m a friend, I swear. Scout’s honor. In another universe, I was Robin. My name is Carrie Kelley and, from what I’ve gathered, I’m the only version of me in this universe. I came to help.”

Damian scoffed. “Help? With what? Throwing a St. Patrick’s celebration? I hate to be a harbinger, but March isn’t for another seven months.”

She blushed. “You’re close, kind of. I wanted to throw a birthday party.”

Bruce’s eyebrow raised. He felt like, if this was any other person, he would have thrown them out, and while she did rile him up, he felt inclined to listen. “For who?”

“For Jason Todd. I think that you both need it.”

Damian sighed. She was doing rather well before _that_.

“Ms. Kelley-”

“Just call me Carrie, really.”

He sighed. “I don’t think Jason would come.”

“He would! I already asked him. Just, please? I know that you don’t me that well, but you’re like my dad in the other world. And I know Damian is your son in this world, and that you adopted quite a few Bat Kids, including Jason, and hey! Jason’s your son, right? Why wouldn’t you throw him a birthday party?”

“We’ll talk about this more in the morning,” he told her as he got up. “I think it’s all time we went to bed.”

* * *

 

Damian and Carrie walked into the same room. He turned around, arms folded, eyebrow arched. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“ _I_ used this room,” she explained, arms crossed.

“This is _my_ room.”

She looked down the corridor of rooms. None of them except Bruce and Alfred’s were occupied. She returned to looking at Damian. “I really hate the Manor,” she confessed. “Is there anyway I could like, camp out on your floor?”

His posture relaxed. She was a girl from an entirely _different universe_ \--getting here couldn’t have been fun. And if her intentions were true, she was just trying to get the family back together a little bit more. “ _Fine_.”

* * *

 

“Party time!” Dick said as he walked into Tim’s apartment.

He jumped from behind his computer. “Dick! What are you talking about?”

“So this Robin from another universe came and she convinced Bruce, with the help of Alfred, to throw a birthday party for Jason. We’re in charge of getting stuff--don’t worry, Alfred gave us a list.”

“Shouldn’t we choose gifts ourselves? And why do you want me to go with you?”

He wrapped an arm around him, resting his chin on top of Tim’s head, watching as he logged out and closed his laptop. “I want to spend time with my baby bird for once. We haven’t done a lot of that recently, ya know? And of course we’re going to pick out our own gifts for Jason! Alfred has a lot of things he wanted us to get, not just gifts. He’s really excited about this.”

“Alright, just let me make presentable for human interaction,” he said as he got up.

Not even twenty minutes later, Tim came out of his bedroom in a red cotton button down and black jeans. His hair was freshly dried and looked oh so silky, Dick just wanted to sink his fingers into it.

Instead, he tried not to stare at him too much.

Two weeks ago, they had accidentally kissed on patrol. Tim had apologized profusely and had basically been avoiding Dick since then, but Dick was decidedly less... Apologetic about the kiss. He wasn't ashamed of it either, but he didn't want to scare Tim off. He wanted a slow build up to their relationship anyway.

"Ready to go, baby bird?"

"Yeah."

_I wish that he didn't see me as such a kid still._

* * *

 

"Jason, the phone's for you!" Roy yelled towards the direction of the bathroom. "So how ya doing, Barbara?"

"I'm great. Carrie has been helping around with everything. She's a doll, isn't she?"

"Yeah." Even though the phone was cordless, Roy leaned against the counter next to the charging station. "You don't find it weird that she's been to what, six different universes to do this? Why do you think it's so important to her?"

Barbara was silent for a moment. "I never thought about it like that. I don't know, but I guess it is a little strange. Maybe she just wants the family together? She doesn't talk a lot about the other universes, but maybe that's because she's been so busy."

Jason came out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist, looking rather miffed that his shower had been cut short. "Who is it?" he whispered.

"Well Barbara, Jay finally dragged his lazy ass out of the bathroom. Hope you have a great day."

"Thanks Roy! You too," he heard her say as he handed the phone to Jason, who was clearly embarrassed at having made her wait so long, if the flushed cheeks were anything to go by.

"Hey Barbie, what can I do for ya?" he said, trying to keep his voice playful.

"Hi Jay," she went silent for a beat. "I'm supposed to get you to come to the Manor for a party."

"Oh?" He smiled at the thought of Alfred asking her to do this. "Since you asked so nicely-"

Roy and Barbara both held their breaths.

"Sure. What do I have to lose?"

"Great! Be there Saturday by five, alright?"

"Definitely, doll." He heard her cussing him out as he pulled the phone away from him and ended the call. "Time to go shopping for party outfits," he told Roy, smiling.

* * *

 

Carrie sighed and took a step back. "These decorations are looking fantastic."

"Yes, I do think that Todd will be quite pleased," Damian remarked from across the room. "And if he isn't I might have to-"

" _Oh_ -kay, let's stop with the colorful, hypothetical threats. Please."

He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, it's a habit."

"I get it, it's just that you're very, very vivid." She looked downwards for a moment, biting the inside of her lip. "I was almost beaten to death by someone once and... I don't think I ever got over it."

"Oh."

"I mean, and maybe you don't wanna hear this, but it was Jason bad. I still have phantom pain." She ran a hand through her short red hair. "I guess Jason and I have something in common. And, you too, right? Didn't you die in this world?"

"Yes. I have more scars from being dead than from dying though," he told her. "Let's go see if Alfred has anything else he wants us to do, yes?"

* * *

 

Bruce stared at the canopy above his bed. It was the night before the party and he... Wasn't quite sure how he felt.

He wanted to see Jason, wanted to hug him and hold him and (to his _almost_ embarrassment) kiss him. At the same time, he was worried that Jason was going to reject him. That is, if he even went through with his plan.

* * *

 

"Wow."

Tim looked down at himself. "I probably look bad, don't I?"

Dick drank the sight of Tim in. He was wearing a simple white tank top and black denim short shorts, looking like _jailbait_. He had to remind himself that he had thrown Tim's 21st birthday himself.

Tim was low key looking at Dick. The older man was wearing a dark blue button down, three quarters sleeve, the buttons undone and showing a black undershirt, tucked into blue jeans. His skin was tan from the summer sun and looked borderline _edible._

_Beautiful._

"You look incredibly _gorgeous_ ," Dick told him, lifting his chin up. "Would it be okay if I kissed you?"

Tim closed the gap between them.

The kiss was soft and sweet, with Tim tasting like vanilla and Dick like wintergreen mints. Tim sank his fingers into his hair as the other wrapped his arms around him.

Tim pulled back, smiling. "We should at least try to make an appearance at the party."

Dick laughed. "Alright baby bird, let's go."

* * *

 

"Look, we can still turn around," Roy told Jason.

They were literally about to go up the driveway. Even though Jason's leg was bouncing and his fingers were taping his knee, he figured that it was actually, probably, just a little bit late. "Be prepared to make an emergency exit," he replied, trying to make light of it, but he could feel his voice shaking. "It's gonna be fun. The whole family will be there."

Roy wanted to point out that it was on a daily basis that Jason cursed at least one of them out, but he held back. "Hey, it's for you, isn't it?"

Jason looked at him, eyebrows furrowed. "Why would it-shit. My birthday's tomorrow."

Roy slammed on the brakes. " _You didn't remember that tomorrow is your_ birthday?!"

"I just... I haven't really celebrated anything. I'm kinda on a day to day basis, in case you never noticed."

_This is going to be Hell._

* * *

 

Carrie glanced over at Bruce. It was weird seeing him younger... But he held the same posture as her Bruce. The same 'Nothing can fuck with me because I'm Batman,' look was on his face, when, in reality, she knew that he was worried about something. She wondered if it was Jason, and his feelings for him, and she kinda hoped that it was, because they needed to be happy.

She tightened and flexed her hand, thinking about it. It's what she had promised her Bruce.

* * *

 

Even though it was the middle of August, Jason felt like walking into the dark manor, despite the broad daylight, was still intimidating.

Roy would have happily agreed with the sentiment, had Jason bothered to voice it.

They walked in, side by side, into the manor and deeper still into the dining room. Though he knew what was coming, when the lights flicked on, and everybody yelled "Surprise!" he still had a mini heart attack.

Roy squeezed his hand before letting it go. "They're all friends- _family_ -here," he reminded him.

Maybe that’s what worried him.

Maybe the sight of Bruce, out of cowl and costume, made his heart race just a little too fast to be normal.

Maybe he was terrified that he was going to say something to Bruce--because he was okay around everyone else, he could live with embarrassing himself to them--and just be shut down, rejected, and tossed out.

... So maybe Alfred wouldn’t let that last one happen, especially so close to his birthday, but the other two were still pretty viable.

* * *

 

“All of these presents aren’t going to fit,” Roy told him. “I know they’re making up for lost time but. Did they think we drove a U-Haul?”

Jason laughed. They were standing on the sidelines, funny considering the party was _for_ Jason, but even the family had cliques that they divided themselves into, at some point or another. Though it did amuse the two to see Tim and Dick having eye sex, and the way that Carrie and Damian went back and forth was rather endearing.

As Roy had said earlier. “Robins. Robin babies everywhere.”

“Excuse me, may I interrupt?”

Both of them practically jumped out of their skin. While it was his house, it was _not_ okay for Bruce to pull a Batman on them.

“Sure! I’m going to go bother a certain inter-dimensional redhead and her boyt-boyfriend.” Roy shot him a smile and squeezed Jason’s shoulder before sauntering off towards the teenagers.

“How are you?” Jason said after a moment.

“I’m good.” A beat. “Missing you.”

He looked up through his lashes. Bruce still had the tiniest bit of height on him, which infuriated him, but he slouched anyway. Maybe he still liked the idea of Bruce being able to cover him and protect him, even if that-

Even if he hadn’t been able to do that when Jason needed it the most.

He figured he’d forgiven that by now though.

“Really?” His voice was a lot quieter than he meant for it to be. “Because I miss you too.”

Bruce inched a little bit closer, but still outside of Jason’s personal space bubble. “Maybe we should fix that.”

And it was one of the cheesiest things to say right then ever, but he didn’t mind, instead bursting into a smile. Maybe because Bruce wasn’t shutting down or rejecting him but welcoming him, or at least the banter.

“We should fix that,” he agreed, moving closer to Bruce himself. “If you have the time and the patience for it.”

They were mere inches away from each other. Remembering Bruce’s unspoken signals like an almost forgotten language, Jason closed the space between them, lips meeting. One of Bruce’s hands cupped the back of his neck, the other the small of his back.

The kiss focused him, letting him hear the blood rushing through his veins, the taste of Mountain Dew and… _Pomegranate_ chapstick?... on Bruce’s lips as Jason’s tongue flicked out.

And everything inside Jason felt beautiful because _Bruce still wanted him_ and he felt like there was a garden blooming in his chest and Bruce’s lips were the sunshine.

Before he knew it, he was falling back on Bruce’s bed, pulling the older man closer, not caring how far they got tonight but that they got _somewhere_ and that that somewhere was _close together_.

And Bruce’s hands ran through his hair, ran down to his hips, pulled him on top of him when he rolled onto his back before coming up again, settling in thick hair, as their lips crashed together again and they settled into something that both had tried to forget, to make everything hurt _less_ and maybe it would hurt more _later_ but right _now_ -

It felt like Jason was really coming back to life. Like Bruce was breathing the life into him.

* * *

 

When the morning came, Jason woke up to Bruce’s arms around him. He was tucked underneath his chin, and it took him a second, but he remembered this same position from when he was younger. He remembered feeling just as _safe_ , just as _loved_.

He didn’t move around, instead choosing to soak in the moment.

After a while, Bruce moved a little bit. He murmured something Jason couldn’t hear before pressing a kiss to his forehead, then to the tip of his nose, and then finally to his lips. “Happy birthday, Jay.”

* * *

 

Carrie fist bumped. “Mission accomplished!”

“So will you be going then?”

The voice caused her to jump. She turned around and sighed--of the course the person to sneak up on her was Barbara. “I didn’t plan to. It’s just nice that, it worked.”

“So you got them together. Why do you care so much?”

“Before my Bruce died, he told me that there was no one he loved more than Jason. Yeah, it hurt, but at the same time, it gave me purpose. I had to find a universe where Jason was alive and get them together, because they deserve that. And trust me, it’s a lot harder than you think it would be.”

“My car’s on fire!” The door to the bedroom that Roy had been sleeping in swung open and he ran down the stairs with a fire extinguisher in his hands.

“For example,” Carrie started after a moment. “If Jason hadn’t been sleeping with Bruce, he and Roy would have already left and they would probably be dead right now. Funny how the universi work, right?”


End file.
